The post about fitness certification, Romanian dead lifts and army boots

• Meanwhile, Monday on Instagram...
• It's #coffeetime and Monday morning is a bitch. But I will say this. My sleeping is back on track. In fact, I'm sleeping better than I have in ages. To be honest, I think it's the gym that's making me sleep so well. I'm fatigued by the end of every workout and I'm ready for bed by 9pm. 
• I've given some thought to my long term goals over the next year. I'm still waiting to hear about whether or not I'm going to make the boxing team for The Fight to End Cancer. If it happens, I'll be working very hard to get fight ready. If not, I'm going to train as a boxer with Tony's trainer at 5 Star Fitness. And continue to train with Tony of course.
• Either way, I'm going to get as fit as I can because come the new year, I'm going to start working on my certification for Personal Training Specialist and Healthy Eating & Weight Loss Coach through Canfitpro. That's who Tony's certified through and it's done through on-line as well as in class courses and is offered in my area. I'd love to help others meet their fitness goals. But first I need to meet mine. I need to practice what I preach. Can't expect someone else to do unassisted pull-ups and push-ups if I can't demonstrate how they're done. Happy Monday y'all:-)

• Meanwhile, Tuesday on Instagram...
• It's just after 5am and I'm enjoying this protein smoothie. I drink mine from a Pyrex measuring cup. How do you take yours? Off to meet my maker. AKA Tony. Not sure what he has in store for me this morning but it always starts with HIIT. 
• Then later this morning I have to go see Dr Patterson. There's a large hard lump on my right upper arm near my armpit. It's not as big today as it was yesterday, but it's still there. I managed to stay away from Dr. Patterson for 2 weeks. Perhaps he'll be impressed with my restraint. Afterwards I'm working from home. I'm owed thousands of dollars in mileage. I'm a tool. I've not claimed it yet. I need to get that done today. It's not like I don't need the money...

• My favorite time of day. When it's not rushed. #Coffeetime:-) Went to the gym and I am pooped! Didn't do a lot of variety today but boy did I get worked over. Started with HIIT like always. Then Tony set up the trap bar. It's fecken hard and tiring. I went from 95 - 145 pounds in 5 sets. The best thing about doing trap today is that I kept my form the entire time. That's some progress. Tony barely had to tell me to keep my ass out.
• I also did Romanian dead lifts. I've done them before but only with the bar to get my form down. Today Tony added weight. My last set was at 115 pounds. He says the goal for both the trap bar and the RDL's is to get to your body weight then add 10 more pounds per week. The trap bar was fecken hard at 145. I can't imagine going up even 10 more pounds. Tony lifts 380. Today his trainer is going to get him to lift 400. That's just crazy talk. 
• One of the regulars paid me a nice compliment today. He said he's definitely noticed a difference in me since I've been going there. The most noticeable being that nothing jiggles. Sweet of him to say, but I didn't tell him my compression capris helped with that:-) That's one of my goals. To get toned and firm so that nothing jiggles when I run...

• It's #transformationtuesday and look at me wearing leggings where my bum isn't covered by a long sweater. I'd never have done that even a year ago. Feeling nice and toned from the gym. I've definitely gained some body hugging clothes confidence. 
• On the left is from 5 summers ago. That was from the trip to Williamsburg, Virginia where I decided to make a change for good. Julien was 3 and I couldn't fit on a ride with him at Busch Gardens. I'd had enough and knew I needed to do something or completely miss his childhood. So by September 2011, I committed to a lifestyle change and I've not looked back. It took me 15 months to lose 132 pounds on Dr. Poon's Metabolic Diet. 
• I lost 8 pounds in August and part of September 2011 taking diet pills. Never a healthy option or a sustainable way to lose weight. I'd taken diet pills throughout my lifetime thinking they were a quick fix. The only way to lose weight and keep it off is by diet and exercise. It's the only thing that has worked for me long term throughout the 35 years I spent my life morbidly obese and yo yo dieting. This December will be my 3rd year maintenance anniversary...

• Today's last word is about some body lotion and army boots. You know what would have been a good transformation Tuesday photo? The army boots before and after they got cleaned up. I bought them used at an army surplus store near work. Thirty bucks. I know that's more than my clothing budget usually allows, but if I bought them new, they would have cost $140 and they wouldn't have been nicely worn in . Sent them to the cobbler to get cleaned up and voila. They look just like new. Thirty bucks for leather boots is a deal!
• Many of you are asking what kind of lotion I use. I was using Marc Anthony's Body Butter in Coconut Shea, but in the past I've used whatever was on sale. Because, you know me:-) My faves were Nivea Q10 Plus Firming Body Lotion and Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Firming Butter. Whoa! That's a mouthful! I've just run out of Marc Anthony's stuff and I'm going back to Palmer's. Keeping your body hydrated and your skin moisturized during weight loss will help with your skin's elasticity. I lost all my weight after 40 and I lost a lot. Something my mother always instilled in me was to moisturize! I think it made a huge difference in my abdomen and my legs. My arms were helpless...
• Speaking of my arms. That's me after leaving Dr. Patterson's office. He legit thinks I'm nuts. Took a look at my arms and said, "you know that the swelling will not go away for another 2-5 months right?" I asked about my arms of steel that I want by next month, he said they'll not be happening till summertime. He drained the right arm, but the hard part by my armpit? He said that will just eventually go away. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. Told me to keep the compression sleeves on when I work out (which I've not been doing) and I can ditch my lower compression garment that I wore for the lipo. And he said in regards to my thighs; moisturize, moisturize, moisturize...